1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a submersible production storage barge and a method for transporting and installing a jack-up rig in a body of water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the production of hydrocarbon fluids from offshore sites located in a body of water, such as the oceans and gulfs throughout the world, it is necessary to provide for the transportation of the hydrocarbon fluids produced from the offshore site to a site on land. Typically, such transportation is provided by bankers, both ocean-going and shuttle, which receive the hydrocarbon fluids through conventional piping from the offshore platform, and transport it to land. In some instances, the hydrocarbon fluids are pumped directly to the tanker or to shore, via a pipeline, while in other instances, the hydrocarbon fluids produced at the offshore location are stored in suitable containers at the offshore site, and the hydrocarbon fluids are subsequently transferred to the tanker.
In many instances, the offshore wells are drilled through use of a mobile offshore drilling unit, such as a jack-up rig, or a semi-submersible rig, which mobile offshore drilling unit may subsequently be used as a production facility. Such mobile offshore drilling units are typically towed to the offshore site by a vessel such as an ocean-going tugboat. In the case of a conventional jack-up rig, the jack-up rig, after having been towed to the offshore site, is associated with a pre-installed offshore platform. With respect to both the semi-submersible rigs and the jack-up rigs, it is typically necessary to provide some storage device for the hydrocarbon fluids produced, so that they may be stored prior to transfer to a tanker. It is necessary to provide for the transportation of such storage device, such as a barge or submersible storage tank, as well as is necessary to provide for the connection of the storage device to the rig by suitable piping and related rigging, whereby the produced hydrocarbon fluids may be transferred from the well to the storage device.
When the produced hydrocarbon fluids are to be directly transferred to tankers, problems can sometime result whereby production of the hydrocarbon fluids may be interrupted. Examples of such problems can typically result from severe weather conditions, wherein the ocean-going tanker cannot be made available to receive the produced hydrocarbon fluids. Another example of a problem which could cause the interruption of the production of hydrocarbon fluids would be labor problems which exist in some countries, whereby it might be difficult to obtain crews to operate the ocean-going tanker or shuttle tankers. Accordingly, in many instances, it is not only desirable, but necessary to have some storage device or facility associated with the offshore well, whereby the production of hydrocarbon fluids would not be interrupted due to severe weather conditions or labor problems.
Accordingly, prior to the development of the present invention, there has been no submersible production storage barge or method for transporting and installing a jack-up rig in a body of water, which: permits the jack-up rig and hydrocarbon fluid storage facility to be transported to the offshore site as a unit; prevents interruption of the production of hydrocarbon fluids during severe weather conditions or due to labor problems associated with the tanker to which the hydrocarbon fluids are being transferred; is easily assembled and economically used with reduced costs associated with attaching and rigging up the storage facility with the rig. Therefore, the art has sought a submersible production storage barge and method for transporting and installing a jack-up rig in a body of water, which: permits the hydrocarbon storage device and the jack-up rig to be transported to the offshore site as a single unit; prevents interruption of the production of hydrocarbon fluids during severe weather conditions or during labor problems associated with the tankers to which the hydrocarbon fluids are being transferred; and is easily assembled and economically used with reduced costs associated with attaching and rigging up the hydrocarbon storage facility with the rig.